Friends of the LBJ Library | Apr, 25 2019 6:00PM - 7:30PM
On Thursday, April 25, 2019, the LBJ Library hosted a special screening of RAISE HELL: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins, a new documentary on the life of the legendary Texas political columnist. This program was hosted in partnership with The Briscoe Center for American History and as part of the Friends of the LBJ Library membership programming.
The screening was followed by a conversation with:
- Dr. Don Carleton, executive director of The Briscoe Center for American History and a historical advisor for the film
- Janice Engel, the film’s director and co-producer
About the film
With razor-sharp wit, outspoken journalist and firecracker Molly Ivins took on the good-ole-boy corruption in the political establishment. This six-foot, red-haired Texan found joy in reporting as one of the lone liberals in her deep-red state. She feared that the partisan plague would be the death of American democracy. Ivins became the first woman to co-edit the Texas Observer, and among her claims to fame were her searing, comical books on George W. Bush’s temperament and political record—having grown up in the same town with him, she became an accidental expert. Her blistering way with words was feared by the political elite, but her refreshing critique and big heart garnered a die-hard following from around the country.
Though Ivins died from cancer in 2007, filmmaker Janice Engel crafts a highly entertaining watch that radiantly brings Ivins’s repartee and political wisdom back to life. Her messaging and brand of commentary strikes a particular chord in today’s hostile political climate. This film asks us to shake up the system like Molly Ivins would.
Recap
